


Sleeping Under Willows (Runaway)

by tulka



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Canon Era, Canon-Typical Violence, Doctor Eren Yeager, Doctor/Patient, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Levi/Eren Yeager, Eventual Romance, German Eren Yeager, Grisha Yeager's Bad Parenting, Hange Zoë & Levi Are Best Friends, Hurt Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Hurt/Comfort, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin) Swears, Levi/Eren Yeager-centric, Long-Haired Eren Yeager, M/M, Mikasa Ackerman & Levi Are Related, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Non-Binary Hange Zoë, Nonbinary Hange Zoë, Older Eren Yeager, POV Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Patient Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Titan Eren Yeager, cottage, well not really minor but quickly resolved
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:00:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24255511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tulka/pseuds/tulka
Summary: The story of how Levi Ackerman finds solace in the picturesque, fairy-tale cottage that he finds himself in after an expedition gone wrong. And, perhaps, the fit, too-nice-for-his-own-good other man that lives in it as well.Brought to you by his lungs being crushed by a titan, Eren's long hair, a cottage in the middle of a forest, pure domesticity and a few cats.Somehow, Levi grows to like it. Walls, maybe even love. This is not good.
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 56
Kudos: 394





	1. Chapter 1

_Ironic_ , Levi thought, _I always wanted to die in winter._

He felt the cold sink into his skin, settling deep into his bones. The bitter mist that surrounded him lay heavy on the landscape- forcing him to take another step, to try and escape the fog that smothered his vision. Even the air tasted ashen; his lungs heaving, desperate for another breath of air. He had to keep running. Had to keep moving.

The sun was bleary through the thick grey of the clouds above him, its rays barely piercing through. Bad sign- if he could see the sun, that means he was in open space. The exposed, open stretch of land, where there were no trees to take cover, nothing to map his way with, nothing to hide in. Just pure abandonment, Levi alone with the last of his blades, no horse, and no trees to grapple with and use his gear. Only the biting cold encouraged him to run, as well as his unforgiving heart, shouting with each gasping breath- run, or you will die.

It was so fucking hopeless, Levi had to bite down a laugh. Running when a titan’s stride could crush him easily, make his body a bloody stain in the field for Hange to examine. With each punishing footfall of his body trying to battle through the shrouded mist, his body prayed for rest, his green cape flying in the intense wind that roared in his ears. He had tried to shout, screamed his voice hoarse, and yet the barrage of wind against his body was the only reply. Not even the familiar sound of hooves on the other side of the relentless wail of wind, not even the earth-shakingly terrifying sound of a titan’s impeding footsteps. Levi wasn’t sure if he was grateful for the latter or not.

His previous encounter with a titan had nearly cost him his life. Just before everything went to shit, before the snow storm descended upon them and the Survey Corps scattered, an abnormal had encased him in its iron grip. Wrought with exhaustion and shock, he had barely been able to slice through its filthy fingers with his blades- Mikasa slicing its neck whilst Levi had struggled, finally being able to escape just as the gigantic corpse toppled and fell to the ground. He had thanked her with a nod of his head- until the blaring pain began in his chest, lancing up his ribs, and he nearly doubled over on _Adira,_ his horse, clutching onto her reins in a vice-like grip. 

After that, everything was too chaotic to even complain, allowing the screams of his comrades to echo over his lungs collapsing inwards.

_Keep moving_ \- the chant barely rasped past his dry throat and frost-bitten tongue. He felt dizzy- like with each step he was going to hurtle into the hazy mist, fall and never get back up. And it was so cold, so unnaturally so, like painful hacking at his exposed skin, needles being pressed into every inch of him. This is what they had been fighting for? All this freedom, all this land? Just to end up like this, the Survey Corps expedition torn to shreds by an unexpected snowstorm. The twisting in his lungs was agonising. 

And then he saw it- a small flicker of light in the centre of the swirling wind, a single flame. A lamp, off in the distance, a figure holding it, holding their own against the wail of the storm hitting their body. A dark cloak. A gleam of hope.

He stumbled towards it, the venomous cold seeming to form chains at his ankles as he barely dragged himself along, towards the person, the clouded figure. He opened his mouth to shout- words he was sure got lost in the storm encircling his ears- and continued to barely keep himself upright. Bitter tears pooled in the corners of his eyes as the wind pierced his body. Levi kept screaming. Kept lurching forward, with jerky, agonising movements, every step causing his knees to buckle, his legs to near-surrender. 

Whether it was Levi who reached the person first, or the other finally noticing him, he didn’t know. All he remembered was the screaming of wind battering his rib cage, the fleeting promise of light, before the dark fabric of the other person’s clothing was gripped in his hands, pulled towards him, a desperate hold onto life. 

His knees hit the ground with a slam, a shout barely heard as the wind overtook his every thought. 

_He was not going to die. Not this winter, at least._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi finally sees the light. And swiftly goes back under again, but at least there was an attempt.

In the darkness, the first thing that reaches him are the birds. Chitters and trills of sparrows and thrushes, clear and distinct in the state of limbo surrounding him. He remembers past ghosts, lingering whispers and forgotten memories, his hands stroking the feathers of that bird, its wing crooked and bound back. His fingers careful, tender on the broken bones. A girl clutching it to her chest protectively. A boy wrapping its wings in cloth.

The bird calls swim in his mind, flutter against his rib cage, and slowly pull on his eyelids, coercing him from the arms of the inky black, and he feels almost reluctant to let go. If his eyes felt heavy, then his body feels like lead. Ashen eyes blink repeatedly as the sun from a nearby window pours in, bathing the room in sunlight. He is immediately grateful for it- though he feels the past sting of the cold deep in his skin, it is more of a passing recollection that the consuming burn he felt before. _Before._ Where the fuck was he?

He tries to scrabble up from his motionless state in the bed, his hands tightening around the sheets as he takes in the lingering scent of cleanliness. Not only that, it feels soft- Levi wanted to melt into the bed, the sheets, the pillow, already partially succumbing to the exhaustion of being awake again. He has barely been back in the mortal realm a few minutes before he’s aching to go back under again, wanting to lie down and allow the frantic pounding in his head to cease. It feels like something is trying to drill a hole out of his skull, Levi thinks, and groans quietly as he attempts to shift himself on the bed. 

He drags himself into a sitting position, back resting against the wooden headboard. Levi feels the familiar tightness of bandages around his chest- looking down, the white cloth is taut, firm around his ribs, and he winces as he trails a hand down its ridges. The simmering pain reminds him what the origin of these wounds were, and images of his upper body being clenched in the fist of a titan flicker in his mind. Most likely a cracked rib, he thinks, and fuck, was that the last thing he wanted right now. He can just see the blossoming mottled bruises on his chest and shoulders, the contusions trailing down to his stomach. It hurts to move, and more importantly it hurts to breathe. Placing one hand on the headboard to steady himself, Levi’s eyes dart around the room hes found himself in. Strangely large, airy, his bed tucked into the far right corner. Wooden walls and a large window opposite him, draped in white curtains, a desk on the other side of the room and a intimidating book case. All pretty standard, until the fact that hes in someones house hits him like a ton of bricks.

Immediately, his memories take him back to that godforsaken night- wandering aimlessly, half-dead from the cold, collapsing against the warmth of a body. Green eyes speckled with gold in the light of the flickering lantern. Lists of pointless information pour into his head all at once _(strong hands, worried face, furrowed eyebrows, tall)_ followed by yet another calamity of haphazard thoughts _(fuck, my lungs feel like they're being squeezed by a titan)_ and Levi’s brain is working overdrive, as if making up for the lost time he spent unconscious in a stranger’s house. Was he back in the walls? Did the others find him? Did they think him dead?

Levi’s breathing quickened dangerously, and the pain increased as his chest felt like it wanted to burst out of its restraints. Looking over to his right to look at the bedside table, his eyes widened as he saw a glass of water and a plate with a single piece of buttered bread on it. His throat, dry and scratchy with misuse and fatigue, cried out at the sight of water, and he reached weakly for it, swallowing most of the glass with haste. Once his throat doesn’t feel like something is dragging their claws along it, he relaxes against the headboard, dull ache in his ribs becoming part of the melodious concerto of blaring pain happening in the back of his skull. 

He thinks about eating the bread, as his stomach churns at the thought of finally eating something for the first time in days, but eventually feels too drained to even try and grab for it anymore. He probably won’t be able to keep it down anyway. Pushing himself back down onto the bed again, hissing at the contact of his bandages on the mattress, Levi ultimately loosens enough to get comfortable in the bed again, the scent of freshness and clean air in his nose.

As soon as he closes his eyes, the soft fluttering of a sparrow’s wings welcomes him.

▬ ▬ ▬ 

Pain. Blinding fucking pain. Raking up his back, curling its way onto his chest, and pressing there, pushing and punching and laying heavy and thick on his lungs. It feels like he’s drowning in it, like its vines have twisted their way inside his chest and laced between his ribs, like a snake with venomous fangs sinking into him. Levi forces his eyes open, thrashing on the bed, adrenaline rushing through him in waves. He reaches out, trying to grab onto something, something he can grip to steady himself, to clench as he rides out the visceral stabbing in his chest. His hands twist in the bed sheets instead, and he can’t help but whimper at the lashing fire currently settling around his rib cage, locking around him like a vice. He barely feels the growing plumes of blood absorb into the bandages, barely has eyes open enough to look down, to be aware of whats happening- _all he knows is that fuck, its so much worse than he thought, this is bad-_

And then someone is soothing him, sweeping soft hands along his back, supporting his head, being calm and gentle and steady, slow and tender with their movements. The person is there, present, and Levi latches onto them out of instinct, needing to hold onto something. His nails dig into skin and soft material as he shakes, tensing at every small movement, every wave of burning that makes his teeth clench, fists curl, body writhe. And the person endures it with him, holding him gingerly against him, making soft, sympathetic sounds. Levi is barely aware of what he’s saying, and at some points it doesn’t sound like words he recognises, foreign syllables and hazy words he can’t understand, and Levi falls into it. Literally collapses, tired and quivering and drained, and whilst he can feel the constant stabs slowly subsiding in his chest, he opens his eyes slowly. The sun has long since set, his room now dark and shadowy, a single candle flickering on his bedside table. He can feel the strong frame of the person against him, their arms around his waist, Levi’s head on his shoulder. They move, but keep one arm on his lower back to support him, and Levi sways at the loss of contact, before he looks up to see the stranger (the man in the field, the green/gold eyes. the long brown hair) silently pass him a glass of water and a few small, white pills. He takes them, swallows the capsules and the water in large gulps, ignoring the way the action causes his chest to tighten. 

“Who are you?” He barely manages to rasp out, looking in the man’s direction, though his face is unclear and blurry by the tears in his eyes and the hazy lighting of the candle. It seems like it takes him a few moments to think before answering, like he’s having a silent internal debate with himself. Levi swears as he feels the familiar curling build in his rib cage, the beast rearing its ugly head, but definitely more subdued than it was minutes before. He feels the soft pads of the stranger’s fingers brush the exposed skin of his back, and he suppresses a shudder, passing the glass back to him and watching him place it back on the wooden table.

“Name…. Eren.” Is all the man says, pushing his brown hair back, out of his face. It’s long, hanging til about his shoulders, loose and comfortable in a way Levi assumes was best for bed. He’s wearing a white night shirt Levi has crumpled in his fists. The words seem foreign, almost unnatural, stiff and said in an awkward tone he can’t decipher. They’re hesitant, and the man looks unsure, almost timid even though he’s been cradling the writhing mess that was Levi in his arms for the past few minutes.

“Your name is Eren?”

He nods, drawing himself inwards, letting go of his hold on Levi’s back. Levi watches as his green eyes assess him, inspecting the bandages taut around his chest, with an examining eye Levi recognises as a worried look. Only then does he notice that the priorly white cloth was now slowly soaking in blood, the harshness of it causing his breathing to hitch. _Ah, that explains why it feels like I’m being ripped apart,_ he thinks.

Eren steadies him again, his eyes alight in the weak flickering of the candle. He shifts on the bed, Levi motionless as the stranger starts to unwrap the cloth, carefully and hesitantly. Levi tries and fails to hold in the gasp as his wounds hit the air, though the lack of the oppressing bandages does wonders for his lungs. Looking down, he notices that the gaping wound he expected wasn’t there- instead, an angry red gash, going across his muscles, stitched together with fine thread. Or, at least it was, because Levi winces as he notices he’s pulled some of the stitches out, probably with his thrashing as he woke up. The injury is crude and blunt against his naturally pale skin, though Levi is used to the blossoming crimson of blood pooling from wounds like these. Perhaps not so severe ones, though, and he marvels at how he managed to remain conscious during his short pain-fulled haze in the field.

“I fix, for you.” He spares a glance upwards, looking back into the man’s concerned gaze. Eren’s words still hold the same unsteady tone, but his face and eyes convey anything his words can’t. The other man is careful in his ministrations, prudent in the way he soaks up the remaining blood on Levi’s chest with a cloth, the red escaping from his few pulled stitches. It crushes him how fucking helpless he feels, and Levi brings his hands up to take the soaked material from Eren’s fingers.

“I’ll do it.” He says, trying to thread the pieces of his dignity back together. 

Eren’s gaze is defiant, lips pursed as he shakes his head insistently.

“Seriously, let me-” His words are cut off as the piercing needles return in his ribs, the pain starting to become cloudy and murky in his head. Levi drops his hold on the blood-soaked cloth instantly.

“Fuck.” He grits his teeth, enduring the onslaught, and Eren is tightly wrapping the bandages around his ribs again, thorough in the way he treats Levi as if he’s fragile, capable of shattering where he sits. He eases him back down onto the bed again, arms tight around his middle, hands soothing on his back. Levi can’t tell whether he wants to thank him or punch him, fuelled by his own frustration and shattering pride. 

Instead, he reaches to grip the stranger’s wrist, pulling him towards him. Behind his eyelashes, Levi can just make out the troubled features, the furrowed brow, the ruffled hair and pooling olive eyes.

“Levi”, he says, before promptly passing out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you enjoyed, pls give feedback. it is greatly appreciated! for real, a few kind words keep me going for at least a week <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A long, confusing, frustration-fuelled conversation. Levi is conscious, girls and boys.

This time, there is no welcoming sputter of wings or chirping calls. This time, there is no inviting embrace, simply empty black. It ends as suddenly as it started, and Levi is looking upwards into that familiar wooden ceiling once again.

It’s day, and the sunlight is flooding in, bouncing off the walls and creating shadows. Levi’s raven hair is plastered to his forehead with sweat and his entire body feels like its been wrung out, but apart from that, there is no burning inferno clawing at his insides. Whatever Eren gave him, it worked, and there is a significantly smaller blood stain patterning his chest as he inspects the bandages, afraid to disrupt the other man’s diligent work. 

This time, when Levi sees the bread on his bedside table, he braves the movement and reaches for it, though wincing at his sore muscles as he does so. Slowly eating the bread, he savours every taste of the butter on his tongue, and the feeling of finally having something in his stomach. 

Just as he’s finished eating, the door to his room creaks open. Eren, now dressed in comfortable brown pants and a pale, long sleeved shirt, stands in the doorway, carrying a plate of what looks to be a substantial breakfast. His hair is tied back in an uneven bun, strands of it loose around his eyes, and he seems surprised at the fact Levi is awake. 

“Er….Hello?” The man says, shutting the door with his foot, and walking over to him with the plate. Upon closer inspection, Levi notices several more slices of bread, which makes his stomach churn and his mouth water. 

Levi was not often lost for words, but the awkwardness that slowly creeped into the room was almost unbearable, and he didn’t feel like he had the strength to face it right now. 

“You feel better?” Eren says, eyes looking over him and his bruised chest. Their eyes meet, and Levi holds back a sarcastic reply.

“Yeah, mostly. Whatever you gave me truly knocked me the fuck out. I can’t feel shit.” He raises a hand to take the plate from the other, frowning at the way his hand slightly shakes at the movement. He’s not used to being treated like glass, and he hates how weak his body feels. Eren’s gaze is inviting, but Levi can see that behind it, there is a blanketed mask of worry and concern- the same as last night. At Levi’s reply, his shoulders seem to relax a little, and he even gives him a small, soft smile as he passes the plate over. 

“Where are we?” Levi forces out, unable to contain his curiosity and slight concern any longer. How did Eren get him back into the walls? _Were_ they in the walls? He’d met Eren in the middle of an infested titan forest, a days ride away from Maria. How were they both not crushed under some titan’s giant heel yet?

Eren bites his lip in answer, seemingly unsure as what to say, sitting down gradually at the end of the bed.

“In...my home. House.” Is all he manages to say, looking uncomfortable as he does so. He looks at Levi uneasily, trailing a hand up to the back of his neck to mess with his hair. 

“No, I meant _where_ the fuck are we? Are we back inside the walls?” Levi questions, getting increasingly agitated as he does so. He stops eating as he sits back, fixing his interrogating gaze on Eren, who matches his stare with verdant green eyes of his own. He pushes down any arising hints of feeling self-conscious; he grew up in the underground for fucks sake, and living amongst the crowded swarm that was the Survey Corps, he’s used to seeing people at their worst enough to not give two shits what he looks like on any particular day. But like this, sitting up weakly in this stranger’s house, chest bound and limbs shaky, Levi can’t help but feel a little insecure next to Eren. Levi would kill someone for a shower; to wash off the feeling of several days of dirt, sweat and blood off his body. To flatten his hair down, to allow his limbs to soak into the warmth. 

“Walls? No.” Eren shakes his head in earnest, and Levi sees the problem immediately- the brat can hardly understand what hes saying.

Not that there weren’t other languages in the walls. Before Maria fell, some people who lived on the outskirts adopted their own languages from centuries past, and kept their own culture and traditions. Now, however, that they were all mixed up and forced into yet another smaller cage, these other languages were becoming redundant. Hanji had large collections of old texts, written in foreign and strange letterings that even they couldn’t understand. On some occasions, Levi had flicked through them, his fingers pausing on the illustrations that they could hardly make any sense out of. He had never seen someone who could understand and transcribe the older languages fluently, nevermind use it as their primary way of speech. It was unheard of, and, like many other people who questioned humanity’s long and treacherous past, where often seen as suspicious under the Military Police’s watchful eye.

“We’re not…. in the walls?” Levi looked at him incredulously, eyebrows furrowed. 

Eren shook his head again, momentarily gesturing towards the large window, that displayed a vast and rich forest. Though he didn’t recognise them as the towering, titan-sized trees he was accustomed to on missions, this house was definitely situated in the dense nooks of nature. It was winter, and yet the trees maintained their eternal greenery, and several blooming plants caught his eye. From what he could see, they were almost surrounded by woods and wildlife, but he’d have to go outside and see it for himself to be sure.

“Forest. I live in forest.” Levi catches Eren’s smile as he motions to it, the sun’s light blanketed over his features.

“The fucking forest? The one overrun by giant, man-eating titans?” Levi supposes he should be a little less harsh to the person who practically saved his life, but he can’t help but feel the waves of disbelief and shock rush through him. This man…. was living out here? Away from the walls? And wasn’t dead? 

_What?_

“No titans. No titans in forest. In home.” Eren enunciated, looking at Levi with an almost jovial regard.

“What? How?”

At this, Eren didn’t reply, though Levi guessed it was because he couldn’t say why with his limited vocabulary, rather than his unwillingness to unveil the reason. The other man frowned, pushing his hair back with his hand (Levi had seen him do it multiple times during their conversation, must be a nervous habit of his) and seemed exasperated at his lack of words. 

“Do you… live here? In the forest?” Obvious fucking question, and Levi wanted to cringe with how uncertain and shaky he sounded. 

“Yes.” Eren nodded, “This is my home. The forest is home.” 

Once again, Levi was at a loss for words. Eren had a talent for doing that to him, it seemed.

“You are Levi? I know you, before.” Eren says quickly, expression eager and confident. 

At the words, Levi’s face twists in confusion, and he looks at the other man with his face etched bewilderment.

“You know me?” Maybe Eren was from inside the walls, then. Had he gotten stuck out here, out on a mission with the Corps, and was presumed dead? Had he lived out here, alone, unable to go back? Overwhelming confusion flooded him at his current predicament. The theory that he was actually passed out in some hospital bed back at headquarters was becoming more and more likely as he spoke.

“Yes. I like you, when I was….small.” He seems genuinely happy about the fact, grin widening confidently.

“So you saw me in the walls? Did you get left out here?” Levi tries to keep his demanding tone in check, and yet he can feel the familiar bite of it in his words.

“No….no.” Eren’s smile fades as quickly as it appeared, and suddenly he looks downcast, discouraged. He shakes his head as he speaks, taking long pauses, and Levi wonders if this apparent language barrier is going to be more troublesome than it first appeared. 

“I see you before, inside.” Eren continues, “Captain Levi. Yes?” His eyes look too content with that fact, the green irises glowing in the soft daylight pouring through the large windows. It seems to blanket him, coating the other’s tan skin in a shimmery haze, and Levi’s throat goes dry at the sight. Even so, he reckons this could be an angle they could work with.

“Yes, I am Levi, from inside the walls. So, you must have lived out there at one time. How did you get here? Were you a member of the Survey Corps?” Levi attempted to initiate his interrogating stare, looking directly into Eren’s. His tone was strict, though he made sure each word was sharp and clear, said slowly, in a futile attempt to allow Eren to understand.

If he did, then he wasn’t exactly happy about it. Eren’s mouth was pinched in an unhappy frown, and he refused to meet Levi’s eyes, instead his gaze moving to the right of him, glancing lower at his bandaged chest. Levi could read him, clear as day; discomfort. Eren was unwilling to be interrogated as Levi so clearly desired. No words of explanation would leave his lips.

“Must sleep. Good for…. body.” Eren stood from the end of the bed, gestured to Levi’s crippled form, and proceeded to clear the plate and empty glass in a way that screamed uneasiness. The other was nearly rushing to leave the room, and Levi’s apparently discomforting questions. He grit his teeth.

“No, I need to move. Where’s the bathroom?” Levi began to shift, pulling the white sheets off his limp legs, disturbing at how the limbs felt like deadweight. How fragile he felt as a whole, faint and barely present, and yet he wanted to stand up. To move at the very least, to feel the muscles in his body stretch. To move closer to the rays of the sun, instead of feeling stranded in the coldness of the bed.

Eren’s frown deepened, if possible, and looked at Levi unconvincingly. Yet something about the way Levi was struggling to climb out of the bed in his weakened state and already heaving lungs, made Eren double take, quickly putting down the plates and glass and going over to the other man’s side, placing a firm hand around his waist. The grip wasn’t forceful, but firm, and all words of protest died in Levi’s throat. Focusing on moving his heavy limbs, he supported himself against the bed, attempting to stand in one fluid movement, yet failing miserably. He stumbled, body collapsing in refusal, knees buckling from underneath him. Eren’s grip tightened, pulling him upright and leaning Levi’s body entirely against him. 

They stood like that for a few seconds, Levi trying to stop the bile rising in his throat and attempting to focus so the wooden floorboards would stop swaying. He allowed himself to slant against Eren, grateful for his strong arms, solid build. Levi knew he wasn’t exactly light, by any means. And yet, Eren’s hold held fast, supportive, steady.

“Ok. Where’s your bathroom?” Levi barely said, the words just getting past his gritted teeth and clenched jaw. His legs felt like the bones inside had been taken out. Had his muscles completely disappeared in the time he hadn’t been using them?

“Slow.” Was all Eren said in reply, and took a tentative step forward, with Levi leant against him. Carefully, Levi followed, ignoring any protest his withering body gave, forcing it down in a swallow. It was less pain, and more faintness; like his body had become porcelain, instead of the hard steel he had trained it to be.

“Lost much blood. Make you…. like this.” Eren said quietly, as they advanced towards the door at a excruciatingly slow pace that made Levi want to scream in annoyance. He didn’t have the self control not to snap at Eren, so he held his mouth firmly shut, muscles tense in his jaw.

“Also no food. Not strong if no food.” Eren muttered, and reached out to open the door leading to Levi’s sun-filled room. They had barely reached the doorway, and Levi felt like he was about to faint right into Eren’s arms.

“Here.” Eren’s voice was comforting, steady, unlike his tense tone from before. As they crossed the threshold out of his room, they stepped into a large, open hallway- a wooden staircase leading from one side, into a larger area which he assumed was the living room from this height. The hallway was on the second floor, overlooking the space that was flooded by the hazy glow of sunlight, as well as verdant greenery and immersive colours of plants and flowers. 

Before Levi could take this all in, Eren opened the next door, angled them away from the staircase, and into the bathroom. Their joint stance was awkward, and Levi tried not to think too hard about Eren’s palms on his exposed waist, as well as the simmering uncomfort beneath his skin. 

Pushing away slightly, hands on the wooden doorframe, Levi unwound himself from the other man’s hold. Eren wore a look a pure disapproval, if his scowl was anything to go by.

“You need me.” Was all he was able to articulate, and for a second his pure stubbornness seemed to bleed through the inconvenient language barrier. Levi grimaced.

“No. I really don’t.” At Levi’s words, Eren scoffed, gesturing to Levi’s slant against the doorframe, all his weight on the wall in hopes that it will alleviate the building pressure on his numb legs, his wrapped chest-

“Walls, just give me a few minutes. Please.” He was frustrated, and yet it seemed the only way to successful communicate to Eren was through emotions. Even though Levi wanted to snap and berate him in the same way he would trainees at the base, unrelenting gratitude held back his tongue. And raising his tone any higher would make his voice crack, remnants of his throat swallowing down icy air, leaving it hoarse. It made him feel uneasy.

Obviously dissatisfied, Eren folded his arms, the action making him appear even taller than before, and resigned to take a step backwards, head lowering in a show of compromise. His back was against the wooden railing of the staircase, the light creating shadows against the man’s figure. 

“Say if….need me.” Was all he said, in a low tone, and their eyes locked for a few seconds. Levi could almost see the apprehension in his gaze. 

Swiftly turning away, Levi manoeuvred himself forward, shutting the door in front of Eren before he say anything otherwise. One hand holding himself up against the walls, he reminded himself to breathe. Stumbling slowly forward, he reached the sink, turning it on instantly, sighing at the feeling of warm water again, heating up his skin. He washed his face with it, feeling an eternity’s worth of dirt and tears and sweat slowly vanish, and that was when he looked up, straight into the mirror.

His eyes looked sunken inwards, their gun-metal grey hollowed out and ringed with exhaustion. His face, though littered with minor cuts and bruises that trailed around his cheek to his neck, were stark contrasts to the bleakness of his skin, a ghost-like pale he had never seen before. Like blood was hardly reaching it. It made Levi look paper-thin, and his dark hair helped strengthen the crude disparity that clashed together as Levi assessed himself in the mirror, giving out a sharp intake of breath. Tracing his thumb over them, his lips felt coarse and cold to the touch, past ghosts of frost-bitten lips arising again, their remnants patterning his skin. Levi felt himself go limp, leant against the sink entirely, the hot water being saintly on his body, warming him slowly. He swallowed as he dragged his eyes away from the painful reflection he saw looking back at him in the mirror.

Levi wrapped bony, alabaster arms around himself, careful with his reddening wounds, closed his eyes, and counted his breaths.

With each shaky exhale, he felt the cold seep out his bones, his blood rejuvenating, flowing freely in his veins. He imagined his skin knitting back together, his body regaining its strength, his blackened eyes healing, his hands being steady enough to hold blades. A disjointed, quivering breath.

_How the mighty have fallen_ , and Levi spat the blood where he had bitten his lip too hard into the sink, watching it swirl and wash away down the drain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you enjoyed, give me feedback/kudos, help heal Levi's self-inflicted hatred of being vulnerable to others! thanks <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The angst continues. I'm sorry, this will progress past this, I swear. Levi's just.... working through some things.

When Levi finally gains the strength to push himself away from the sink, his head feels fuzzy and his legs remain faint beneath him. He finds that, with most pain and discomfort he’s experienced in his life, it is easiest to ignore it, or force it into the darkest crevices of his mind. Usually, out on an expedition, the adrenaline rush masks the pain, and he doesn’t feel it until its down to its last dregs, when he’s carrying an arm of a comrade or clutching Adira’s reins on his way back into the walls. It is usually Hanji who forces him to sit, or Petra with her worried frown and polite requests, to allow his wounds to be bandaged, his body to rest. Thinking about his squad makes his stomach sink, and the panicked, pained screaming of that night echoes in his head, reminding him that whilst he had somehow gotten out alive, his companions may likely not have. Not when the whirlwind of that snow storm had smothered them all, blocked any chance of escape against an ambush of titans, a fog that none of them could see through. Erwin’s demanding orders, barely heard over the raging wind, the horses frantic, desperate whinnying on each side, Adira uneasy and begging to sprint. _Too much_ , his brain warns, even though his memories of the night are blurred and shadowy. _Too much._

The sharp knocking on the door wakes Levi out of his haze. He stumbles forward, quickens his pace, attempts to pull himself back together in as little time as possible. Washing his face with water once more, inspecting his bandages, wetting his hair to try and get the shreds of sweat and blood out of it, with limited results. Eventually, a heavy defeat settles over him, and he simply turns to the door again, wanting out in every possible way.

Eren’s concerned eyes look him over as he appears past the door frame, brown hair framing his face, wordlessly approaching him again to curl around his waist, become a firm support for his legs. Usually, he would be enraged at a person so easily invading his personal space; now, he hardly has the energy to strike back, to insist he can make it the few paces back to the bed himself. He just lets it happen, let his body sink into Eren’s strong frame, and takes the delicate, hesitant steps out of the bathroom, past the hallway, back into the sun-lit room he now inhabited. His chest constricted with each movement, bandages tightening. The feeling of his body once again hitting the cotton sheets was bliss- his muscles relaxing, body loosened on the soft mattress, legs going limp. He leant back against the wooden headboard, Eren’s arms easing off his waist, sitting beside him with a pained expression. Levi could read every emotion on his face, without the use of words, and yet he tried anyway. 

“How long have I been here?” He asked, knowing that the answer to the question could be an awful one.

“You sleep for…. four days. You… got hot. Sick.” Eren’s hair hung down around his face, looking frustrated as he pulled together words. Instead, he gestured to the multiple different bottles and pills scattered across his bedside table, evidence of how Eren had treated him whilst he’d been out. For four whole days. Four days where the Corps had not known where he was, if he had made it. Levi knew they would announce him dead. Erwin would make sure of it, and he cringed at the thought of Hanji assuming he was gone. At his squad without him as a leader to be there, to guide them.

“Did the storm last long?” Levi’s throat felt dry, and a bitterness coated his tongue as he spoke. 

Eren paused, looking troubled for a moment, averting his eyes; “I… not sure. I find you in different place. I not go there… many times.” He swallowed, finally catching Levi’s gaze, “I think, not long. If long, I find more trees broken. Broken….forest. Home. I see not many.” His face looks sincere, bordering on apologetic, and something inside Levi is is alight with relief. If the storm passed quickly, then maybe they were able to recoordinate, get the expedition back together again. Erwin wouldn’t just let it fall to shambles. Ideally, he had gathered as many of them as he could back together, and retreated back to the walls as fast as they could. Levi could only pray that the entire expedition had not been decimated, and that the survivors were able to make it back. It wasn’t often Levi allowed himself to be optimistic. 

“Did you see anyone else? Were there more people here?”

Eren shook his head, locking his eyes with Levi’s. A wordless silence stretched between them. Levi tried to stop the train of thoughts currently blaring alarm inside his head.

“You….need food?” Eren asked, tone hopeful. He seemed to catch onto Levi’s internal dread, if his not-so-subtle diverting the topic was anything to go by. 

“No. But something to drink would be good.” Levi responded casually, altering his gaze so he could look out of the large windows, proudly displaying the verdant nature they were being housed in. Something internally itched to see it, to feel his feet hit the hard soil and know that this wasn’t some pain-induced hallucination- his brain conjuring a beautiful landscape in its last moments. He could just see the rustling of the branches, could barely hear the wildlife and activity of the forest, and yet it pulled him in. Or maybe it was the thought of fresh air and the sight of such lush vegetation that gave him his urge to run, divulge in the surroundings. Whatever it was, with his weakened body and yielding limbs, Levi wasn’t going to be running anywhere for the foreseeable future. The thought unnerved him more than he liked to admit.

Only then did he realise that he had been left alone, Eren leaving the door ajar as his movements could be heard from downstairs, waking Levi from his thoughts. He shifted himself closer to the window, now being able to see the small blooms of wildflowers in the far corners of the growth. He noted that it didn’t look particularly unkept- if something, it was an organised chaos, with large bushes and brambles that looked specifically cut back to avoid spilling into what he assumed was Eren’s garden. Outlined by a gravel path, Levi could make out a wooden fence, nearly consumed by an intimidating growth of white flowers, ones he could barely recognise as snowdrops. They were the first to bloom every year, and people celebrated the end of winter with them decorating their homes, hanging in boxes on window sills. It was reminiscent of snow, but also a promising clean slate in preparation for spring, where the truly alluring colours and flourishing plants would come into season. Petra found enjoyment in bringing a few flowers in, to decorate the bland and drained space they all shared together, and Levi, albeit reluctantly, allowed it.

Now, the sight of them made his heart clench.

From outside the room, Levi heard Eren’s footsteps as the other walked up the stairs, a quick knock at the door signalling his return. In walked Eren, holding a a white, patterned china cup in one hand. Keeping the door open, he placed it into Levi’s awaiting hands, with a small, comforting smile on his face, and it was then Levi felt that it was hot, reawakening the nerves in his fingers.

“Thank you.” He said, genuinely grateful. He wrapped his hands around the china, taking in the sharp scent of the tea Eren had given him. It was strong, and yet somewhat familiar. He looked up at Eren inquisitively.

“Will have less pain. I use… plant. I use forest, make medicine.” Eren’s smile was reassuring, and Levi nodded in response to his words. He began to drink the tea, letting the hot liquid soothe and nurture his ragged throat, heal his dry and coarse lips. The taste was slightly bitter, strong, but even the familiarity of drinking tea again, something that was a constant back at the Corps base, was enjoyable to him. The fact that it would keep the pain in his chest subdued was a plus.

“So, you’re a doctor then?” Levi asked, once he had drank the tea halfway and was now setting it back down on the nightstand. He had intended it as a genuine question, but Eren laughed faintly, remaining standing near the bed. 

“Not doctor, no.” Eren’s eyes glistened in faint amusement. Curiosity continued to pull on him, and he was eager to learn more about the tanned, tall figure that stood near the end of his bed, despite the fact that Eren was unable to string together long sentences without some difficulty. Eren, despite the utter seclusion of his home, seemed inviting, a comforting presence, as if used to being in the company of others. He was undoubtedly caring, a trait Levi, even with his lingering questions and confusion surrounding the other, was grateful for. He couldn’t imagine being at an injured person’s mercy for four days straight- nevermind an utter stranger, someone he had quite literally found out of nowhere. 

“Sleep is good. Help you.” Eren continued over Levi’s silence. Admittedly, even the short trip to the bathroom had left him completely spent, and to lay down and drown in the comfort of the bed sheets and mattress was something Levi craved. Exhaustion pulled at his eyelids. And yet-

“Could I have a shirt? Something long-sleeved, preferably.” He cringed at the thought of his blood-stained, ruined Corps uniform, and yet made a mental note to ask Eren where that was. Going by the clean clothes he was already in, he assumed they were Eren’s- and it wasn’t like he had brought an extra set of clothes to spare. 

Nodding, Eren walked out of the room quickly, and Levi could hear his footsteps take him right down to the end of the hallway, to one of the last locked rooms he had been able to glance at before he had been turned away. By the time Eren returned, he had downed the rest of the tea, the taste lingering on his tongue.

When he once again entered the room, Eren appeared with a dark shirt in his hands, and assisted Levi in gingerly pulling it over his head, being careful not to touch his bandaged wounds and mottled bruises. It was definitely too loose, and it hung freely on his shoulder blades, and yet Levi couldn’t even bring himself to care. It was comfortable, soft cotton, and right now it hardly made a difference to him what he was wearing. He shifted so he lay curled up in the sheets, black hair spread on the white pillows, creating dark halo around his head. Stray flecks of blood marred the purity of the bed, creased by Levi’s grip. 

“Say if…. need me.” Eren’s words bled concern. Levi barely heard them, but nodded, closing his eyes. 

After a few seconds hesitation, he hears heavy footsteps leave the room, the door pulled open and then promptly closed shut again. The footfalls get quieter, going down, where Eren undoubtedly tends to his home, _a_ home. A house surrounded by forestry and nature. By verdant greenery and wildlife, plants and wild growths of flowers. Of drooping white petals. Snowdrops. Petra. Duty.

The haze of drugs and tiredness sink his teeth into him, and drag him in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave me something to feed my soul, pls. getting sucked into writing has helped with dragging me out of the reality of what is happening right now. please, if you can, make a change.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi does some small spying on a now house-mate, and meets another. Also, learns to walk.

The air flowing in through the open window is a welcomed fresh breath, gliding over his face and creating goosebumps on his skin. The hints of cold remind Levi that it is still February, still winter, and that he his still here, and that he is still alive.

Still alive to be able to push himself up next to the window, blatantly staring at Eren’s figure in the green wilderness of the garden. Watching him kneeling down against a large, oak tree, hair messily tied back, bronze strands escaping the hold. He’s wearing a loose fitting shirt, over it a red, checkered flannel, which softly drifts in the calm breeze of the morning. From what Levi can make out, he is collecting fallen branches together, creating a large pile next to him, throwing those which are apparently now of use. It is still slightly dark, the sun starting to rise on the horizon, and Eren is turned away from him, not allowing Levi to be able to see his face. The sight of the other man, working diligently in the budding flora that enveloped him, caused something to stir inside Levi. Maybe it was the familiar serene backdrop of sunrise, the open, welcoming arms of the morning rising on the wilderness that awaited him outside his window. 

Back at the base, the only view he saw each morning were the empty wooden walls of his office, the sweat-covered and shit-stained faces of trainees that were running around the compound early as punishment. For Levi, waking up early before the Survey Corps were awake and running was a constant he was not willing to sacrifice. To be able to take his morning jog freely around the base, not having to worry about the constant strict regulations that came with military life, to be able to run alone without the adrenaline of a titan chasing him. To then be able to return to his office, take his shower, calculate whether he got more than 4 hours of sleep that night, and then prepare himself for the day. It was an ingrained routine, one he would not willingly break. A childhood in the Underground made him appreciate the sun, a constant reminder of a piece of freedom he had been able to win.

He wondered if being outside, watching the sunrise from this small paradise he had found himself in, feeling the rays hit and warm his skin, would be the eternal freedom he craved. 

It seemed like his internal clock was unable to break habit as well; he had woken up, alone and with slight twinges of pain in his side, to the wooden walls he was now housed in. Taking into account that he had awoken just before sunrise, he guessed it must be past 6am. It didn’t take long for the movement in the window to get his attention, and it was then he caught sight of Eren, moving under the slight rustling of the oak tree’s leaves. Eren worked in a relaxed state- as if his movements were controlled by his subconscious, and they required no thought or interjection on his part. It was routine, muscle memory; it reminded Levi of himself, cleaning his blades in his office, having known and memorised every inch of the silver metal, scrubbing until they remained shining. He often thought of it as a down-time activity, an easy task after the adrenaline high of battle. Hanji would often tease him for it, that he kept his blades so rigorously clean even though the titan blood evaporated off of them. They told Levi that the titans he’d kill with them later might appreciate the attention to detail. Levi would tell them to piss off.

For a few more minutes, he watched Eren work, disappear and then appear back in sight, holding himself against the window sill as closely as he could. For the most part, he admired the light flooding into the garden, the way it shone against the differing species of flowers. He had never particularly cared for such things; not when he had the lives of his squad to worry about instead.

With that thought, Levi attempted to move himself from the window, closer to the edge of the bed. His muscles remained stiff, but not the limp, failing weakness he had felt in them yesterday, shifting himself so that his bare feet were on the floorboards. He still didn’t feel confident enough to walk, if his twinging muscles as a result of the slight movement were any indication. He gripped the shirt he was wearing, reminding himself of yesterday, Eren’s utter willingness to comply with his request, and decided against taking it off to inspect his bandages. It was comfortable and kept him warm, anyway. 

Noticing another set of white pills on the bedside table, along with a glass of water, Levi reached over to quickly down both. He wondered how much medication Eren had him on, and whatever it was, he was thankful. For a person who apparently wasn’t a doctor, Eren had a wide array of knowledge, not to mention supplies. Whilst the drugs made him feel hazy and chasing sleep, it was much better than facing the onslaught of pain he had experienced earlier. 

It was then that he noticed Eren had left the door slightly open. And it was a few seconds after that he saw the grey, fluffy, bright-eyed cat that had wound itself into his room.

It stopped just past the door as it was caught, blinking slowly at him, bushy tail curling at its side. It was patterned in grey and white, long fur and whiskers, coat glossy and with its attention turned acutely on Levi. 

Eren hadn’t mentioned a cat, and yet, if Levi thought about it long enough, it didn’t surprise him. He doubted he could survive long in the forest alone, even with his introverted self, without some sort of companion either. 

Seeming to deem Levi safe, the cat approached closer, crossing the distance swiftly towards him on soft paws. It had been a while since Levi had interacted with an animal outside of Adira, his horse, and the cats he saw were usually strays, capable of hissing and scratching him if he got too close. This one seemed to be the opposite- voluntarily winding its way closer to him, close enough for the long fur to brush against his exposed ankles. He reached down, stroking the cat behind the ears, petting the soft coat with gentle fingertips. The cat inched closer at the contact, content to sit with its tail curled around its paws, enjoying Levi’s ministrations as it tilted its head to signal for more. Levi’s lips shifted into a small smile.

“ _Minka!_ ”

Eren’s call was laced with the accent of his native tongue, and it wasn’t long before the man himself appeared in the room, wearing the same clothes Levi had seen him in the garden. Only this time, he was much closer, not obstructed by the odd tree or growing wildlife, and he could see Eren’s expression, vivid eyes against tan skin. Levi could also see the stains on his clothes, random leaves and grass on his knees, and hands outstretched towards his cat.

The cat in question, _Minka_ , simply curled in on itself at Levi’s feet, paws tucked under its head, not sparing a glance at Eren in the doorway. Levi continued to pet them.

“I....sorry. Did…. Minka stop your sleep?” Eren appeased, entering the room fully, assessing Levi’s position at the end of the bed. He sighed at the cat’s leisurely state, currently rolling itself onto its back to allow Levi to rub its stomach. 

“No. I was already awake, don’t worry.” Levi shook his head, giving a small smile to Eren, whose features relaxed and returned with a grin of his own.

“How you feel?” He asked, coming closer to him with a few quick strides.

“Alright. Bearable.” With the display of the sunrise that morning, and the feline stretching itself out at his feet, it was certainly an upgrade from the past few days.

Eren nodded, eyes showing his satisfaction with his answer. 

“I was thinking about trying to get down the stairs today.” Levi said it as a statement, looking up to Eren for his reaction, and after a few seconds hesitation, Eren gave his agreement, nodding as he spoke.

“Downstairs…. I help you. Of course.”

“Thank you.” 

“You think…. you help me too?” Eren’s question was followed by a warm smile, and though complacent, Levi was intrigued.

“What with?”

“I have....book. You can help me with book?” Levi furrowed his eyebrows, drawing his hand back in from down at his feet, from Minka’s soft fur. 

Confused, he asked- “I can help you with a book?” Levi looked at him from beneath his hair, matching Eren’s eyes, not being able to figure out from what he was meaning to say. Eren looked uncomfortable, not confident in his words, and instead gestured to Levi, shaking his head in dismissal.

“I…. show you, after. Now, I help.” 

▬ ▬ ▬

If only Hange could see him now, they would never have let it go. Levi would be a laughing stock for weeks.

Standing with his side pressed into Eren, hands bracing himself on the bannister, looking downwards from the top of the staircase. It was bad enough to move from his bed to the bathroom, the muscles in his body tightening and jolting randomly, and the descent downwards from the staircase became less and less of a possibility as he stood there, shaky and unsteady. 

“You….are good?” Eren’s voice was concerned, and Levi tilted his head upwards (he had learned that the other was a good bit taller than him, and for now he couldn’t complain, since it was needed to hold him upright) to catch his eyes. Eren had apparently known him as most people do in the Walls; the great Captain Levi, untouchable, immortal, invincible. The strength of a hundred soldiers. A symbol of hope. 

Levi was none of those things. Especially not now, when going down the stairs made him feel nauseous, and his legs refused to cooperate. He wondered how the public were reacting to his apparent death in the field; the thought of it stung, churned in his heart. He got back to the matter at hand.

“I’m fine. I’ll do it.” Levi grit his teeth, anger and frustration fuelling him if nothing else, placing each unsteady and quivering foot on the lower step of the stairs, using Eren as a crutch. Eren tightened his grip on his waist, following his steps slowly, hesitantly, Levi’s arms across his shoulders. 

With each step, his muscles seemed to awaken. It was good to finally walk at all, even though the sweat was gathering on his skin and his chest was tightening at the exertion. His grip on the wooden bannister was a death-vice, threatening to slip and send him falling down the stairs, face first. Every time he felt himself grow unsteady, he would lean back into the solid build that was Eren, catch his breath and try again. It was frustrating, and strenuous. Levi felt like his body had betrayed him, allowed him to become this frail shell, and each step was a way of reminding his body what he had trained himself to be.

By the time he hit the bottom step, breathing heavily and muscles spasming, he was largely dependant on Eren’s arms around his waist, and his presence next to him. Wanting to fall back into the hold, or better yet fall back into bed. 

When he finally became aware of his surroundings, looking up from his feet, he was hit with the instant picturesque image of comfort. Soft cream rugs spread across the floor, leading him to the multiple loveseats covered in beige pillows, blankets strewn across the seating. A stone fireplace, slightly crackling, the small flames dancing before him, its mantelpiece littered with memorabilia; carved statues, drawings, frames. A large, rustic wooden table to the left of him, accompanied by timber chairs, each with their own soft pillows, leading to a open kitchen. Not an inch of the wooden walls were left barren; covered in an array of different sized paintings and images, ranging from rough sketches and drawings to oil-panted canvases, art displayed upon the wall and demanding attention. They shared the space with the masses of volumes that were kept in bookcases against the walls, the gold titles clear despite the obvious age of many of the books. Throughout all of this, the organised chaos that Levi found himself in, were the flowers and greenery that enveloped the space and made it their own- despite being in the last dregs of winter, colours bloomed and thrived in each corner. Every area was complimented with a vase of verdant greenery, a small piece of the wildlife that grew outside the large windows. Leaves and winding vines grew up the wall next to the kitchen, only deterred by a large wooden cabinet, painted a purifying white. Encasing it all, was the February winter sun, bathing the scene in its hazy glow.

The only word Levi could describe it with was comfort. Utter comfort. Despite the lack of cleanliness, the haphazard organisation of many books and items, the house held an aura of ease and warmth, welcoming you with open arms. No doors separating the rooms, so each space spilled into each other, the areas almost indistinguishable, despite it not being too big of a house. A peaceful sanctuary. A true home, made and crafted by those who lived and loved it. 

_Peace_ , Levi thought. _No wonder Eren had never wanted to leave._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you havent noticed already, yes this story moves quite slowly. mainly because i like slow burn, but also because i like to take my time with what i'm writing. the pacing is slow- this is mainly gonna be about their domestic life in the forest, after all. no major action or thrill for the most part, friends.
> 
> btw, Minka is a norwegian forest cat, mainly because that or a maine coon would be my dream pet- and this whole fic is a p much a description of my ideal life at this point. minus the titans, of course.
> 
> if you enjoyed, give me some feedback/kudos! <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren brushes up on his knowledge of the Walls, with Levi as his tutor.

Levi had never dreamt of palaces as a child. If he did, it was to storm them and spit and hiss at the King, for the injustices he ruled over. He never wanted riches; a pitiful thing to dream of, when he was constantly worried about his next meal. So when he finally stepped foot in the Royal Palace, to be awarded the first of many medallions for his skill, there was an immediate feeling of nausea. Watching the King, draped in his red silks and cloaks, on a golden throne, walking on marble floors clean enough to see his own reflection in. Having to bow and scrape before a man who had been given everything at birth; whilst he had had to steal and risk his life for a meal as a child. He had wanted to lash out, say the bitter words that were building in his head, the images returning from where they were locked away in his memory. A single one of his golden-laced silken cloaks would have fed him, Isabel and Farlan for months. Would have saved him from murdering others for money. Would have saved his mother’s life.

He had vowed it to himself that if he could, in a distant future, he would move as far away from the cursed Sina as he could. He would live like he did at the Corps. On just enough to get by, just enough for him and only him. For him and the ghosts he would carry if he did actually survive til he was old enough to retire. The thought had always been comforting, but it had remained an unreachable fantasy; in the end, it was normalcy he craved. 

Here, with the sun warming his face through the large windows, the scents of flowers tangling in his nose, the soft interior that encompassed the house, was normalcy. No empty, sparkling halls or marble staircases, no hand-woven silken curtains or gold-accented carpets. Normalcy was the familiar hard stability of the wooden chair on his back, the feeling of his feet on the wooden floor, and no handmaidens or servants to speak of.

Though apparently, Eren had taken up that role, to Levi’s slight bewilderment.

Now watching the other prepare food in the kitchen for him, whilst Levi himself sat with Minka’s body winding through his legs, long fur soft and tickling his shins. He reached down to pet her, listened to the dulled purs she gave out. 

After barely getting down the stairs, the short walk to dining room table was both a blessing and a curse. Eren had given a large, proud smile at Levi’s reaction to his handiwork around the house, before pretty much carrying him to his seat. Eren’s arms and the warmth of his body had faded from his back, whilst Levi was still in a slight state of fascination, turning his head to look around and inspect more of his surroundings. Eren had let him, before asking in his broken use of language; “What...you want eat?”. Which Levi had been almost entirely thrown off by. After a lot of gesturing, confusion and intuition on Eren’s part, he had agreed to fresh bread with the sweet promise of marmalade, and a hot infusion of tea. The offer of something as sweet and as treasured as marmalade had confused him; after most farming land had gone into the hands of the titans, exotic fruit became harder and harder to come by. Only the richest could have access to a very select level of produce, grown by few. The Survey Corps basically thrived on apples and the occasional pear as their source of fruit. The general public had even less.

Yet Eren seemed to have unlimited reserves of things the King could only hope for. Levi barely took sight of the jars of jam and other sickly sweet confectionary that lined his cupboards; all labelled in a cursive he couldn’t read. Stopping his petting of the cat at his feet, he gestured to them, clearing his throat to catch Eren’s attention.

“You must grow a lot of fruit here.” He stated it as a fact, nodding to the collection, watching the cogs in Eren’s head turn as the other turned around, stopped what he was doing in preparing food and smiled at Levi’s words, that look of pride adorning his face anew.

“Yes. Many.” He turned back, continuing whilst Levi made out the large muscles in his back, the way his hair shifted from one side to another as he randomly fixed it out of habit. “Now, not very many. It is the wrong….time.” 

“The wrong season?” Eren nodded, affirming Levi’s question. He had a feeling Eren was severely understating the amount he grew, if his only small exposure to the wilderness Eren called his garden was anything to go by. All he had been able to see from his window were the arrangements of flora and clusters of flowers, along with a few fruit trees that Eren seemed to be working on. He had no doubt that beyond it lay the plots of growing crops that kept Eren alive, allow him to survive alone in the forest.

“Your house is…. nice.” He cringed at how his compliment sounded. ‘Nice’ was a severe understatement, if his initial reaction said anything, and Eren seemed to know it as well, and his amused grin caught his eye from where Levi was sat, behind him at the table. Minka had now sauntered off to one of the nearby window sills; curled into herself, basking in the warmth of the sun. Levi couldn’t help but give a small smile at the sight.

“I have…. many animals.” Eren said, surprisingly confident, catching Levi’s gaze, whilst also handing him a plate with his apparent breakfast and a china cup into his hands. Immediately, the inviting spice of the tea dragged him in, recognisable from the other one Eren had given him, also joined with the scent of fresh bread. Levi thanked him, suddenly hungry, but also surprised by the sight of such a precious item such as marmalade. He had had it a few times, back at one of the annual banquets he was required to go to at the Palace, where every delicacy they placed in front of him became less and less appealing as the night went on. By the end, the sweetness of the treasured honey had made him sick to the stomach.

“Minka likes…. in home. Other like out of home better.” The change in Eren’s accent from the name of his cat to the rest of his sentence made the edges of Levi’s lips quirk up. He took a short sip of the hot tea, relishing the way it warmed his throat. Familiar to the mornings at the Corps base, but overwhelmingly different as his surroundings currently were.

“Walls. How many cats do you have?” Images of Eren’s house becoming overrun by furry animals each night spun into his head.

“Minka…. and two other.” Eren took a seat on the other side of the table to him, leaning back in his chair, his feet barely touching Levi’s under the table. The man looked aglow; happy to provide Levi with something, to be of help. Willing to sacrifice his own time and energy into nursing Levi back to health. The sight of Eren, casually relaxing with a comforting smile of his face, seemed to soothe Levi in return. Watching him battle through a foreign language to talk to Levi, provide him with answers and allow him to ask questions. Eren was… undoubtedly caring towards him. A deep feeling of indebtedness pooled within Levi, as well as one he didn’t recognise. Perhaps appreciation.

The taste of the syrupy, candied marmalade was sweet on his tongue, his tastebuds awakening at the unrecognisable rich food. It was smooth, undoubtedly satisfying. It wasn’t often Levi had been able to indulge in anything sugary, in the rare occasions such things came his way. The citrus fruits intertwining on his tongue were an unfamiliar sensation, and at the same time, it tasted heavenly.

After being confined to the bed on limited food for days, it was hard to stop himself from eating it without the decorum he would usually preside himself in. Every bite was a new fresh hit of bliss, joined with the calming aroma of the tea at his side, and he ate all Eren had given him without hesitation. Eren seemed to have joined him with his own tea as well, looking the most relaxed Levi had ever seen him, save for the incident outside the window that morning. Little words were needed between them, probably because of the awkwardness of the language barrier, and yet they had settled into a calming atmosphere. It allowed Levi to breathe, process his surroundings, twinging chest and tired muscles. The silence was interrupted by birds chirping outside the windows, and Minka meowing at them in distaste.

“Thank you.” Levi’s words were earnest, sitting back in his chair once he had finished eating. The gratitude wasn’t only directed towards the food, not really. Nevertheless, Eren’s eyes lit up at the words, smiling before taking the empty plate and placing it on the kitchen counter. 

As Eren stood, he walked over briskly to a bookshelf at the other end of the room, pulling out a large, hard-backed volume from one of the higher shelves, one which Levi admittedly would’ve needed a chair to reach. He carried it back to the table, pulling up a chair closer to Levi, placing the red book in front of them both. Now close enough to read the gold lettering, Levi traced the letters with his fingertips. The words on the front cover were unrecognisable to him, a random string of letters he couldn’t decipher.

_“Gesellschaft in den Mauern”_

Eren closed the gap between them, now sat at Levi’s right side. Slowly, he opened the front cover, pushing it forward to allow Levi to read. He assumed the few words inscribed on the inside cover were a translation;

_“Society Inside The Walls.”_

Written in thick, black ink, with curling letters and looping accents. The immediate reaction was curiosity; he glanced at Eren, who seemed to be slightly hesitant, only wanting to turn the page when Levi would allow him to. 

“Did you write this?” Levi asked, aware of the large pause that was left, before Eren answered with a resolute;

“No. I did not write.” Eren’s tone conveyed the emotion of simmering frustration in Eren’s expression, Levi watching as the other’s eyes scanned the words on the pages before them. Levi didn’t recognise the title nor the script; he couldn’t find the name of the author on the front page either, but even despite that he wouldn’t describe himself as well-read in the slightest. Hange could probably be of more use to Eren than he was right now; Walls, he could hardly imagine what their reaction would be his current situation. Overbearing excitement and worry, probably.

Eren flipped to the next page, and once again Levi found himself in a maze of words he couldn’t understand. Unrecognisable letters, stray accents and unfamiliar grammar stared back at him from the paper, as he frowned, looking back at Eren expectedly. The other kept searching through the pages of books, waiting to find a specific page or chapter. 

When he finally found it, he turned the book towards Levi sharply, finger pointing to the page.

“Walls, yes?” 

The page was a large diagram of the three walls; drawn in dark charcoal, with harsh edges and blunt lines. Sina, Rose and Maria were clearly labelled, with each wall’s insignia separately drawn on the opposite page. It looked entirely accurate, down to the proportions of the land and walls he knew so well.

“Yes. You must have been in them at one time. You told me you saw me.” Levi was getting more confused by the minute. 

“What Wall you live...inside?” He seemed to filter out Levi’s previous sentence, instead pushing the book closer to Levi, seeming to wait for his reaction.

In terms of where he spent the most time, Levi lived at the Survey Corps base inside Wall Rose, where the main operations had been relocated to after the fall of Maria. Between being used as a public tool to be carted around Sina to entice people to join the Corps, he enjoyed the distance between Rose and the capital, and the surroundings he had were much more favourable then the over-populated inner wall. 

“Rose. I live in the Survey Corps base.” 

“Survey....” Eren’s pronunciation of the word was awkward, obviously unnatural to him, and yet it seemed to spark an interest inside, as he quickly drew the book back, flipping through several pages just to present him with a new set of insignias. The Military Police, the Garrison, and the Survey Corps. Each drawn with sharp detail, the blunt edges of the Wings of Freedom bold against the whiteness of the page. 

“That’s the Survey Corps.” Levi tapped a finger to the familiar design, watched as understanding dawned on Eren’s face, mixed with recognition and realisation. 

He continued, keeping his words clear and tone light- “We fight titans. I am a soldier. It’s why I was outside the Walls in the first place.” 

“You...fight?” Eren sounded surprised, looking at Levi with slight shock twinging his features, and with a newfound worry in his tone. It was almost concerning, how isolated the other seemed to be-how different his world was, away from the life Levi was so accustomed to inside, where life revolved around the titans and a constant battle for survival. 

Levi nodded, trying to be patient with what was apparently new territory.

“How? How you...fight?” Eren was looking at him with wide eyes, attention fixed solely on him, disbelief evident in his tone. Staring into him, watching him intently, picking up every sign of hesitation in Levi’s face. 

“We fight with 3DMG gear. Its… where _is_ my gear?” The thought suddenly hit him, after so long not sparing a thought about the useless mess of metal and snapped wires that had stranded him that day. Without it, he had felt grounded, an easy meal for any titan that would decide to grace his path. Along with his cloak and bloodied clothes, he hadn’t seen any remnants of the gear himself, and wondered what Eren had done with them. The other looked taken aback, partially shook out of whatever thoughts he had been invested in. Eren simply flipped a few more chapters, scanned a few more pages, before showing a clearly detailed diagram of the mentioned 3DMG gear; acutely drawn as if it were from one of the workbooks back at the base. 

“That’s it. My gear. Where is it?” 

“I.....cut. Could not… take off.” Eren looked anxious, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth, looking at Levi with hints of apprehension in his face. Levi knew he was probably resorting back to his natural, intimidating glare; yet kept trying to keep his face impassive.

“Can you show me it?” Maybe it could be salvageable, depending on what Eren meant by having to ‘cut’ it off him. If the main parts remained in tact, their was a chance he could repair it.

Nodding, Eren stood from the table, leaving the book to sit in front of Levi. He disappeared into a different room, Levi barely being able to hear a door opening and footsteps on the floorboards. He kept his eyes downwards at the pages before him, written in the intangible script, but recognising certain words; Survey Corps, Military Police, Garrison. He could also make out certain references to the Walls, as well as details on the diagram of the 3DMG. The rest of the letters remained foreign, a large block of unrecognisable words.

When Eren returned, it was with a bundle carefully pushed to his broad chest, his hands wrapped around the green material, keeping the gear encased inside. The rich, forest green of his cloak; he rolled it out at Levi’s feet onto the floor, carefully pulling back the cloak from the equipment. Levi reached out for it instinctively, gripped the familiar material in his hands, turned it over to inspect the stitching of the Wings of Freedom on the back- to find that the wings had been almost entirely pulled apart. The pattern was unrecognisable; instead of the hard, neatly stitched lines of the emblem, most of the symbol was torn up, the overlapping wings now just a haphazard intertwining of black and white thread. He traced his fingers over the tears; gaping slices in his cloak, most likely from when the titan had gripped it, and pulled it to shreds. Something sunk in his chest, for a reason Levi could hardly identify. 

With the cloak seized in his grip, he realised that it had been cleaned of all the layers of blood, the last time he had been wearing it- titan, his squad’s, his. It had been purged of the heavy, festering scent of the battlefield, instead masked with something light and airy, tinged with fresh water and flowery scents. He held it closer to himself, as if he could repair the wings through sheer will, and then spared a glance to the gear at his feet.

If it could be called that. What was left was a tangled contraption of scrap metal and snapped wires, fused and twisted together, an interlaced chaos of metallic silver and black cord. The hard, leather straps had all been, in fact, cut off- he could see where Eren had went at them with a knife, the material now fraying and pulling apart, now useless in keeping all the parts together as one. At the very least, the last blade had remained in tact; splattered with dried blood and mud, but sharp. The rest of it was irreparable; even Levi, who lived and breathed only when he was wearing his gear, wouldn’t be able to salvage the entangled disorder that his previously well-kept gear had become.

For the first time, Levi realised that he wasn’t going back anytime soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all! apologies that this was a bit late- i got sick, and then proceeded to struggle with this chapter for quite a while. i kept going back and deleting large parts of what i had already written, because i didn't like it. i'm still not incredibly happy with it, but i'll tolerate it. i should mention that any translations of anything are entirely off the internet, so they're probably incredibly inaccurate, sorry for that. overall, what do you think about it so far?
> 
> i hope all of you are doing alright, and staying safe. pls kudos/comment if enjoyed! - tul


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quickly resolved tension courtesy of Eren's prized garden and Levi's amazement. Cherry blossoms and a single wish.

When he looks down, Levi’s chest is a patterned chaos of blue and red, marring his skin. Every flinch, every slight shift in body, and the pain rakes against his ribcage, wreaking havoc on his bones. It hurts just to look at- so he tries not to, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the forest scenery right past Eren’s head, as if he could will himself there if he tried hard enough.

“I am sorry.” Eren says in his accented tongue, his fingertips achingly gentle on the abused skin on his body, pressing lightly to spread the white ointment over his wounds. Levi sucks in a breath as Eren’s hands skim over a particularly tender spot, the bruises still a blossoming scarlet, raw and painful against his naturally pale skin. 

Eren pauses, meeting Levi’s eyes through brown strands of hair falling into his face. The other takes care to move slow, stops and pauses for every flinch or flicker of pain that becomes evident on Levi’s face. It is almost admirable, and Levi can’t help but commend him for it. He gives a slight nod, a signal for Eren to continue so they could finish and Levi could finally collapse into a heap on the ground. He is currently leant back into the strong support of Eren’s hand on his lower back, stopping him from leaning backwards into the chair. Just keeping himself upright for Eren to do his work is enough of a challenge, so he tries to focus on the senses that aren’t currently aflame- the delicate scent of flowers in the air, the soft touch of Eren’s palm on his skin, the songs of distant birds audible through the open window. Usually, Levi is a person who battles through pain headfirst, using adrenaline to numb the sensations in his body. Here, the fight is slow and torturous; as if fate knows that staying like this, fragile and fragmented, will much sooner wear him out mentally rather than physically. 

The numbness couldn’t come soon enough. Eventually, the ointment Eren coats over the bruises works some of its magic, and yet the underlying scrape of nails beneath his skin is a painful misery that he must simply withhold. When Eren’s hands reach the neatly stitched gash over his breastbone, he waits for the inevitable pain to unfold and diverge in his chest; instead, Eren halts his movements, bringing his hands to rest on Levi’s knee.

“I am sorry.” He repeats himself, and Walls, does Levi hate those words. 

“Stop worrying. Just... do it.” His own voice sounds rough, coarse compared to the low, silky tone Eren speaks with. He looks down at him earnestly, at Eren on the floor, his hands a soothing touch on his knee. Tries to convert his emotions into words, and then fails. 

“How...how you be hurt?” Eren bites his bottom lip between his teeth, looking back at him anxiously, and then again at the contusions designed on his skin. He moves, once again smearing the ointment over the blemishes, as if he could wish them away under the gentle touch of his fingertips, and it has Levi shivering.

“Just before the storm hit. Erwin lead us into a fucking titan war zone, and by that time it was already getting hard to see. Titan grabbed me, held me in its filthy hand. Fucking squeezed me.” Levi finished with a short intake of breath as he turned for Eren to inspect his back, to soothe the bruises there.

“Er...win?” The name was obviously alien on Eren’s tongue, and Levi gave a small quirk of his lips at the haphazard pronunciation. He continued with a sigh.

“Current Commander of the Survey Corps. My superior. Everybody’s superior.” He imagined Eyebrows, signing his death certificate in his shiny office, to then be handed to his assistant and announced to the public. Face impassive, as it usually was. Focused glare, the last of which he had seen in the overbearing fog of that day, shouting orders into the chaos of people around them. Hange had been at his side, too. Brown hair spiralling in the intense wind, hands gripped on the reins of their horse. Had noticed Levi, opened their mouth to shout, before he was swallowed into the white blizzard, and both of them disappeared from view. 

The snowdrops outside the window shifted in the slight breeze, catching Levi’s eye.

“I find you.... I am happy. I am happy I find you.” 

Levi’s chest tightened, fighting to urge to turn and look at Eren as he said the words. Yet he held himself firm, loosening short breaths from his lungs, head tilted on his shoulder, black hair splayed across his eyes. Narrowed in on the light swaying of the white flowers in Eren’s garden, the sharp contrast against the green.

He thought about being dead. He thought about being a lifeless corpse on the battlefield. He thought about it all being over, and never having to go out into the field again, have to pick up his blades and clean them of blood after each expedition. He thought about his squad, and Isabel’s injured sparrow.

“Me too.” 

It’s when Eren finally wraps the bandages around his ribs again, locking them into place and sheltering his wounds from the open air, does Levi feel like he can breathe. The miracle ointment Eren had used had created a numb, soothing effect on his bruises, despite the slight twinges he would feel if he moved too quickly or breathed too heavily. He let himself rest against the back of the chair, gingerly putting the shirt back on whilst he does so, experiencing slight discomfort with the shirt’s friction against his bandaged chest. The two of them had remained in an open-ended silence for quite a while- and now that he wasn’t victim to the air on his wounds, Levi found himself able to hold a conversation without being too lost under the pain. 

“Have you ever seen a titan?” He was never exactly master of stealth or subtlety, and definitely not in finding out information from other people. Erwin had other people to do that. His natural composure never really radiated trust, either; if he wanted to know something, Levi usually found out through the other person’s head on the other end of his shoe. He had a feeling that approach wouldn’t really work here, baring in mind he could hardly walk, nevermind kick Eren into submission. 

“Yes.” The answer was immediate, and Levi could practically feel the mood around them darken. Eren’s small smile hardly reached his eyes, not like before, where he gave out confident grins to try and coerce Levi into showing the same, or his furrowed eyebrows as Levi recoiled at every spasm his muscles gave. Eren’s hair was now a dark curtain around his face, let loose around his shoulders, rogue strands tucked behind his ear. _Long hair is a hazard_ , Levi’s military brain automatically supplied, and he kicked himself for the thought. It...suited him.

“Long time… before.” Eren supplied, shaking is head as if in dismissal. Levi struggled to read his expression, something crossed with recollection and reluctance. It was almost familiar. 

“Before. You mean in the Walls?” 

“Yes.”

“You were there when Maria fell?” 

Eren nodded, eyes avoiding Levi’s, seemingly looking around for a task to do. He began clearing the used bandages he had taken off Levi, the small bottle he had used on his wounds, moving to put them away where they had come from (one of the small overhead cabinets, which Levi had noticed contained generous amounts of small medicine bottles and things of the like). 

“That day, I see many.” His tone was uneasy, and it seemed to carry itself in the air, making Levi shift in his seat to try and spare a glance at Eren’s face again. The other had turned himself away from Levi, broad back facing him. Deflecting.

“You lived in Maria, then. How old-” Levi started, to be abruptly cut off by the tense voice of Eren before him.

“Long time ago. Cannot remember many things. Nothing.” With that, he turned to lock eye contact with Levi, expression strained and mildly exhausted. In that moment, he seemed to age, a far cry from the smiling, bright-eyed man Levi had grown accustomed to. Not intimidating, or threatening in any way, simply a firm, unshakeable response to an event Eren didn’t want to talk about. 

Even though it hinged on just about everything, on how Eren ended up here in the first place. 

Levi could see he was going to get nowhere. Surely Eren could understand why he wanted to know. Why he was intrigued, why his whole situation was so disconcertingly confusing. Levi wasn’t going to be back in the Walls soon, that he had realised. But maybe, whenever he did go back, he could take Eren with him?

Eren spun on his heel, closing the white cabinet behind him, and pushed the dark strands of hair behind his ear. He towered over Levi like this, his tall figure standing next to Levi’s impaired, seated form. Viridian eyes, glassy in the soft sunlight of the morning, met Levi’s silvered ones.

“I…show you my home. I show you home... with no titans.” 

Levi couldn’t help but give a small, unconscious smile at that.

▬ ▬ ▬

By home, Levi was unsure if Eren meant the house itself, the garden surrounding it, or the whole entire forest. 

Minka followed them, long tail swaying elegantly as she padded alongside the joined pair, Levi still heavily slanted against Eren. Levi wondered how Eren was so easily supporting his weight, without a single sign of complaint or reluctance to practically haul Levi from one place to the next. In fact, Eren’s demeanor had seemed to completely change; after he cleared up the breakfast they had shared, and placed the red book back in its place amongst the others, the tension in the air began to loosen. He almost looked determined now, unwaveringly stubborn. He had also draped Levi’s mangled Survey Corps cloak over the back of one of the wooden chairs, the torn wings in full view. The scraps of his gear, Levi had told him to keep, just in case they were of any use. He could always take it apart and use some of the scrap metal in the future. His singular blade still being in tact had brought him a great deal of relief- he doubted Eren had any weapons that would be of use against a titan, or, at least, ones he could use. Without gear, both of them were basically the walking dead out here anyway. 

_No titans,_ Levi reminded himself, and played Eren’s words from earlier back in his head. No titans. The concept was almost laughable. Titans were a constant; a natural predator, an existence that dated back centuries. Something Mother Nature created with her own hands, since the beginning of time. For Levi, there was never _‘no titans’_. The fall of Maria had taught them all that.

Eren seemed to be leading him to the back of the house, winding them through the open living space and past the kitchen. Moving again, even if it made his body shake and muscles strain, seemed to ignite some past recollection of strength into his bones; maybe if he gave it a few more days, he would finally be able to walk without using Eren as a living crutch. His chest wounds were another issue, one he was sure wasn’t going to be fixed quite as easily as exhausted and weakened muscles.

They reached a wooden door. Minka meowed pleadingly at their feet, pawing at Eren’s legs. Eren, with one arm strongly wound around Levi’s waist, reached to unlock the hatch and turn the handle. Together, they (walked? hobbled?) out into what Levi immediately recognised as Eren’s hand-crafted paradise.

It was the garden he had caught glimpses of past his window, the budding flowers just being visible to him from his room, before him and blooming anew. Winding clashes of colours, of evergreen, of sharp, citrus scents battling soft, flowery ones. Neatly trimmed hedges, and chaotic growths of wild flowers. A gravel path split the garden into sections, separating the clusters from themselves, and yet the vines reached out and outgrew their spaces, as if reaching for one another. Tangling brambles and branches, shadowed by trees- large trunks, some slightly barren due to it being February, others still flourishing, emerald leaves rustling in the slight breeze. He tightened his grip on Eren’s shoulder instinctively, as if assuring himself this was real. The best thing, the best thing about it by far, was the sun. Hitting his face, reaching into crevices that had been left cold and numb, warming his skin and sinking into his bones. This was closely followed by the feeling of grass beneath his feet, an idea that he would have never even entertained back home. Truly, Levi felt as if the world was rebuilding itself around him- changing and transforming into something he could hardly recognise. It was a wilderness he had never seen before, come close to.

Something inside ached for it.

His knees were embarrassingly shaky, and he drew out a long sigh at the sight of the carefully crafted garden before him. He turned to Eren, and was met with a wide grin; a true picture of elation, seeing Levi so impressed by the great wilderness past his home. He stared at him for a few seconds too long, and Eren crooked his eyebrow up, moving on his forehead wordlessly.

Levi turned his head abruptly. He watched as Minka flitted through long strands of grass and growths of wildflowers, spilling into the gravel path.

The soft stroke of Eren’s thumbs on his back brought him back to the present, suddenly aware of how close the two were, almost pressed together. The enveloping scents were like a hazy cloud around them, a soft sweetness Levi couldn’t recognise. Eren spoke, voice baritone and quiet.

“I show you... more.” 

Levi was convinced that Eren’s home was endless- just a mesmerizing stretch of land that seemed to build itself into whatever Eren wished it to be. He couldn’t imagine Eren, by himself, being able to maintain such a wonderland without external forces of any kind.

Eren ushered him on, Levi’s feet atop the soft soil, the blades of grass tickling his shins as he and Eren shifted forwards. The atmosphere was serene- he could hardly focus on the stinging creaking in his muscles when the world that enveloped him was so unfamiliar. Every time, he caught glances of Eren’s beaming smile above him, and whatever words that were going to come out of his mouth vanished.

They winded through the garden, pausing every so often for Levi to fill his lungs with the crisp freshness of winter air, tinged with the upcoming spring season to come. Lining the path, the memorable snowdrops were accompanied by creamy white honeysuckle, dull red berries, colourful violet daphnes springing out of the ground at his feet. Eren as his tour guide, Levi passed spreads of purple heathers, and some early flowering daffodils, their stalks barely visible in the greenery surrounding them. 

It was then Eren guided them around a corner, turned him away from the shrubbery Minka was pawing at, and dramatically paused at the new scene before them.

In the middle of the fencing, surrounded by tall grass, was a large, soft pink cherry tree. Low-hanging branches and drooping flowers causing blush petals to scatter the ground, as if reaching down to tend to the flowers beneath them. Extending timber arches, each in full bloom, enveloped by a roseate army of pink cherry blossoms, the colour delicate against the green backdrop. The budding flowers blew around them in the slight breeze, tumbling to the ground, the cherry tree the entrancing centre piece in the masterful creation that Levi had found himself in.

“Shit.” He breathed out, a faint whisper, and like a sixth sense, he could feel Eren’s lips pull upwards to form a content smile on his face.

“I help you...near tree.” Eren said in reply, tightening his grip on Levi and half carrying him to what was going to be their final destination. Stumbling, his body trailing after the stronger person that was Eren, Levi allowed himself to drift to the bottom of the tree trunk, beneath the tinted pink cocoon of drooping branches. His bare feet sunk into the soft petals, the grass cut shorter here, around the base of the trunk. 

“I can hardly bend down.” Levi said, turning his gaze to Eren, placing his palms flat against the bark of the tree. 

“Back...to tree.” Was all he got in return, the familiar face of Eren’s determined expression arising anew. Strong hands helped him turn, head falling back against the trunk, black hair falling into his eyes momentarily. A short sigh escaped him, melting into the hazy atmosphere around them. Eren’s arms winding around his waist, his legs, the other bent down almost beneath him, his chocolate hair all Levi could see.

“Try.” Was the short response, and it seemed to imprint itself in Levi’s brain. Though he was exhausted, heavy lungs and sharp pains in his chest and muscles, the swimming pools of rose petals around him urged him forwards. Slowly, he and Eren eased the dead weight that was his body onto the ground, Levi leant against the dark base of the tree. He reached to touch the fallen flowers next to him, out of instinct. His lungs begged to catch up with his breathing. His head fell backwards, hitting the tree with a soft thump.

With slitted eyes, he spoke; “Your garden is fucking amazing.” 

Eren laughed. A true, excitable laugh, sending sparks down Levi’s back. The other fit naturally into the soft lighting, the mellow haze of the cherry blossoms like a carpet beneath their feet. Eren sidled up next to him against the tree, their legs outstretched before them. They sat silently, Levi’s heavy breaths and twinging muscles causing every word to die in his throat. Eren seemed content to let the moment sit and unfurl, with no words needed. It was calming, and it was soothing. Levi savoured every fresh cherry-tinged breath that he inhaled into his lungs.

Eren’s hair lay loose on his shoulders, shifting in the slight breeze. Catching his eye, Levi moved like a man possessed- plucking out a single rose petal from atop Eren’s head, letting it fall to the ground beside them. He did it instinctively- the cloud of cherry trees and winter sun like an overcast shadow of comfort, allowing him to do it without second thought.

His hand froze, and he turned his head sharply away from Eren, and his godforsaken _long hair that was obviously a hazard-_

“Thank you, Levi.” Eren’s voice was mellow, low and baritone, and the way his accent rolled Levi’s name off his tongue took him by surprise. Everything about Eren was seemingly taking him by surprise. He watched as Eren, with his wide smile and vibrant eyes, placed a single pink petal on the open flat palm of his hand. 

“How you say….have wish?” Eren gazed at him, matching silver eyes with his own, something stirring inside of Levi as his next words became a breathy reply between them.

“Make a wish.” The response barely made it past his lips. Blinking slowly, Eren nodded, dragging his eyes away from Levi’s, turning his attention to the world around them.

Eyes closed shut, he hesitated, Eren’s thoughts forming in his head. After which, awakened olive eyes, and with a single breath, the cherry blossom petal flew off Eren’s outstretched hand, spiralled into the wilderness and beyond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! yes, i know this is kinda late, apologies for that. in return, its the longest chapter ive written so far, and its a chapter im quite proud of. i didnt plan for this to happen in this chapter, but to be fair whenever i do plan something out i always go off track and change my mind. i have a slight inkling of the next chapter, but i finally wanted to write some soft bonding moments between the two of them. no, neither of them are diving headfirst into love, yet ;)
> 
> i was looking up flowers/plants that grow in the winter when the cherry blossom tree came up. apparently some variations do in fact blossom near the end of winter, and i can imagine it looking soo pretty in the snow. i love cherry blossom trees, the pink petals- you can kinda tell in this chapter, lol. i tried my best with describing the image i had in my head into words, but im unsure about in depth descriptons; do they ruin the flow of the chapter? its sometimes hard but i do like setting the scene, even if it does mean a large paragraph simply of me describing things. thoughts?
> 
> i hope y'all enjoy your day, and thank you for being so nice and supporting me thus far. it makes me happy :) - tul


End file.
